La Rabida has been serving children in Chicago since 1896. Along the way, we have gone through a number of changes, but our mission has remained the same. La Rabida has always strived to impact the lives of children, allowing them to live happier and healthier lives. Early on, La Rabida’s specialized in treating rheumatic fever and gained international attention for its research that led to the eradication of the disease. We treated hundreds of kids batting this disease – including Betty.
Betty first became a patient at La Rabida after she was diagnosed with rheumatic fever in the 1950s. “I was very lethargic when I first arrived and couldn’t do much for weeks,” shared Betty. “But my mom took the CTA and visited me every day.”
At just eight years old, Betty spent the majority of the 3rd grade in the hospital. “I remember the kind tutors, helping me and the other children with reading and math,” explained Betty. After missing so much school, her teachers wanted to hold her back a grade. With the help of La Rabida and our tutors, Betty was able to stay on track. “I was distraught with the idea of being held back,” shared Betty. “I attribute the tutoring to helping me advance to 4th grade.”
Though it was a challenging period, Betty has a number of fond memories from her time at La Rabida.
“I remember Wednesday movie nights. There was an older couple who came every Wednesday evening and showed movies in the hallways. When I was feeling up to it, I started joining that activity every week.”
After recovering from rheumatic fever, Betty continued to visit La Rabida for follow up visits until she was 18 years old.
“I’ll always remember how kind and helpful the staff was and that everyone was always pleasant.”
Betty went on to obtain her Ph.D. and worked in the public education sector as a teacher, assistant principal, and literacy developer at Chicago Public Schools along with running a learning center for many years. Now 72, Betty is fully retired and still lives in Chicago with her husband.
This story was featured in the February 2021 issue of eCurrents. Read the full issue here.
